Thanks for stopping by. You'll find some reviews of books I've read. I love to read mysteries and thrillers. Favorites include James Lee Burke and Louise Penny. I love discovering new authors. New cookbooks are another favorite. I also review women's fiction, historical fiction and Christian fiction and non-fiction. Follow me on twitter: @PoCoKat. Happy reading my friends!

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Review: NIV First-Century Study Bible Explore Scripture in Its Jewish and Early Christian Context By Edited by Kent Dobson

Hardcover: 1888 pages

Publisher: Zondervan; Special edition (September 9, 2014)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0310938902

ISBN-13: 978-0310938903

Book Description

Experience the Bible through the eyes of a first-century
disciple by exploring the cultural, religious, and historical background
of the Bible. This Bible allows you to understand God’s Word in its
original cultural context, bringing Scripture to life by providing fresh
understanding to familiar passages, beloved stories and all the
Scripture in between. The NIV First-Century Study Bible invites
you into the questions, stories, and interpretations—both ancient and
modern—which introduce you to a world vastly different from your own.
Let us read with an eye on the past and with our feet planted in our
present questions and circumstances.

Join Kent Dobson as he unpacks the culture of Bible times, and
illuminates Scripture passages while asking thoughtful questions along
the way. Kent is the teaching pastor at Mars Hill Bible Church in
Grandville, Michigan, where he initially served as the worship director.
He has been featured on Biblical programs for the History Channel and
the Discovery Channel. Kent fell in love with Biblical studies in
Israel and had the privilege of learning from both Jewish and Christian
scholars. After his time in Israel, he returned to the States to teach
high school religion and Bible before responding to God's call to the
pastorate. Today, he keeps his connection to the Holy Land strong as he
leads tours to Israel that combine study and prayer, inspired by the
ancient discipline of spiritual pilgrimage.

About the Editor

Kent Dobson is the teaching pastor at Mars Hill Bible Church
in Grandville, Michigan, where he initially served as the worship
director. He has been featured on Biblical programs for the History
Channel and the Discovery Channel.

After completing his undergraduate degree, Kent lived and studied in
Israel where he earned a Masters Degree in History and Geography of the
First Temple Period from Jerusalem University College. He also studied
Comparative Religion at the Rothburg International School of the Hebrew
University.
Kent fell in love with Biblical studies in Israel and had the
privilege of learning from both Jewish and Christian scholars. After his
time in Israel, he returned to the States to teach high school religion
and Bible before responding to God's call to the pastorate. Today, he
keeps his connection to the Holy Land strong as he leads tours to Israel
that combine study and prayer, inspired by the ancient discipline of
spiritual pilgrimage.

Kent lives is Grand Rapids, Michigan, with his wife and three children.

My Review

I am reviewing the hard copy of the NIV First-Century Study Bible not the e-version.

As an eternal student of history, I was very interested in assessing this new bible. It is an easy to read bible. The format and the content are exactly what someone who wants a bible that they can refer to at times when they are being a student of the bible...a learner...a seeker. Sometimes you need a devotional bible but this is perfect for studying the Word.

I must confess that I prefer bible studies where we are studying the bible as it relates to history. The NIV First-Century Study Bible helps place the Word in its historical context. That is an important to me and if it is important to you and your study of the bible then this bible is for you.

This is an easy bible to navigate. There are introductions to each book of the bible that are well-written and insightful. The introduction contains the author, date, historical background, literary analysis, the theme and message and an outline. There are articles and study notes that support the Word. I appreciate the layout and the use of color throughout. The font is small but not too small as in some bibles. It is well illustrated with colorful photos and charts.

A wonderful addition to my bible library. It is a beautiful volume as well!

1 comment:

DID THE 1ST CENTURY CHURCH HAVE NEW TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES? BY STEVE FINNELLThe prevailing thought of many is that since the Bible was not canonized until sometime between 300 and 400 A.D. that the church of Christ did not have New Covenant Scriptures as their guide for faith and practice. That is simply factually incorrect.

The Lord's church of the first 400 years did not rely on the man-made traditions of men for New Testament guidance.

Jesus gave the terms for pardon 33 A.D. after His death and resurrecting. (Mark 16:16) All the words of Jesus were Scripture.Jesus did not have to wait for canonization of the New Testament in order for His word to be authorized.

The terms for pardon were repeated by the apostle Peter 33 A.D. on the Day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:22-42) The teachings of the apostles were Scripture. The words of the apostles were Scripture before they were canonized.

The apostle Peter said the apostle Paul's words were Scripture. (2 Peter 3:15-16...just as also our beloved brother Paul , according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand,which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures...

The apostle Paul's letters and words were Scriptures when he wrote and spoke them. Paul did not have to wait for canonization to authorize his doctrine.

John 14:25-26 'These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to you remembrance all that I said to you.

The words and writings of the apostles were Scripture and they did not have to wait for canonization to be deemed authoritative. The apostle did not use man-made creed books of the church or man-made oral traditions to teach the gospel of the New Covenant.

Did the early church have written New testament Scriptures? Yes, and they were shared among the different congregations. (Colossians 4:16 When the letter is read among you, have it read in the church of the Laodiceans and you, for your part read my letter that is coming from Laodica.) Paul's letters were Scripture and they were read in different churches.

All 27 books of the New Testament were Scripture when they were written. They did not have wait until they were canonized before they became God's word to mankind.

Jesus told the eleven disciples make disciples and teach them all that He commanded. (Matthew 28:16-19) That was A.D. 33, They were teaching New Covenant Scripture from A.D. 33 forward. The apostles did not wait to preach the gospel until canonization occurred 300 to 400 years later.

THE WORDS OF JESUS AND THE APOSTLES WERE SCRIPTURE WHEN THEY WERE SPOKEN AND WRITTEN. THEY DID NOT HAVE TO WAIT FOR CANONIZATION TO BE THE AUTHORIZED WORD OF GOD.

MAN-MADE CREED BOOKS AND MAN-MADE ORAL TRADITION WAS AND IS NOT SCRIPTURE.

Networked Blogs

BookLook Bloggers

Litfuse

Goodreads

I have read and enjoyed the Lucky series by author Deborah Coonts. Crushed is a completely different type of novel. It is a contemporary romance set in the beautiful Napa Valley.
Crushed was a great read. Coonts is a wonderful writer....

Breaking Busy: How to Find Peace and Purpose in a World of Crazy by author Alli Worthington is such a timely book for the women of today. I first heard about Breaking Busy through the Propel Women Book Club. Readers can read along throug...

A Bead in the Hand is the second book in the Glass Bead mystery series. I enjoyed the first book in the series, High Strung, and I enjoyed A Bead in the Hand as well.
Jax, our main character, is once again embroiled in a murder mystery...

I have read most of the books in the Hannah Swensen series by author Joanne Fluke. This series has been driving me crazy with the Hannah love dating triangle with her, Mike and Norman. I have always been Team Norman...now she is marrying...

The features of NIV, God's Justice Bible, Hardcover The Flourishing of Creation and the Destruction of Evil By Tim Stafford include:
The complete text of the NIV Bible, the world’s most-read and most-trusted modern-English translation
...